Barry Lewis: Tough to pass up super bargains after holidays

There's an odd satisfaction in knowing that there's one thing that I will never need to buy again.

Barry Lewis

There's an odd satisfaction in knowing that there's one thing that I will never need to buy again.

Something that I can forever check off life's perennial need-to-get list.

Unfortunately, it's just holiday wrapping paper.

Thanks to the ever-enticing post-Christmas sales that hypnotize us with "Everything Must GO!" and "70 percent off" and "Buy two get a third one free" we have filled whatever need there might ever be to reach for wrapping paper.

Personally I wish it was something less seasonal. Like toilet paper. Now that would be a truly life-altering accomplishment.

"Hey, you want me to pick you up some toilet paper?"

"Thanks — but no — I'm good."

"You sure? Everyone needs a backup roll?"

"No — I'm set for life."

I'm sure there's someone somewhere who can make that claim. I salute that person.

Me? I'll have to be content with the knowledge that I'll always have Christmas gift-wrapping paper. And bows. Lots of bows. Which is kinda cheating, because while we buy new wrapping paper, we reuse old bows.

Hope I'm not revealing some deep Lewis family secret, but by using Scotch tape on the back of the bow, you can extend its holiday shelf life by years. A carefully handled bow could survive decades.

Despite all that, we'll still buy bows. And even more wrapping paper. Why? At 70 percent off — how can you not?

Everyone makes a big deal about "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday." But what most of us really wait for are the "Stuff That You Didn't Buy For Christmas But You'd Be Crazy To Pass Up Now" sales.

Remember those "Towers of Toffee" and "Pyramids of Peanuts" that you refused to buy at $19.99? Even with the fancy wrapping, it seemed a bit much. Or the multipack "Keep You Warm" set for $15, which was a holiday mug, packet of hot chocolate mix and some chocolates.

Even up to the afternoon of Dec. 24 you held your ground.

But on Dec. 27 those marked-down items filled your shopping cart.

Do you suddenly need them?

As much as you suddenly need that special holiday gift set of Old Spice Antiperspirant/Deodorant, Body Wash and Body Spray.

We buy these things because we're getting a great deal. Or more importantly, we think we're getting a great deal.

This also brings into question the markup on these things.

It kills me to think how much I paid for fancy chocolates with names I can't even pronounce. On the flip side, I consider it a bargain when I gift them for Valentine's Day. Right?

That's the beauty of these don't-need but got-to get gifts. They don't go out of style.

Years from now that Old Spice will smell just as bad as it does now. Those vacuum-packed nuts will outlive us all.

As for the decorative wrapping paper with Santa, Frosty and Rudolph, it never gets old. Never outdated. And best of all — it's on sale now.